self-titled - no. 2 - (Page 8) From the Editor Even though some major labels courted him with “Dude, you’re the next Kurt Cobain” compliments earlier this year, I didn’t quite get Jay Reatard when I first saw him perform this past March at South by Southwest.Yeah, his Ramones-style approach—smash, bash and shout; call out song title; repeat—was refreshing, but Reatard’s manner of tearing through a set wasn’t particularly a revelation. It was an adrenaline shot that left me wondering what the hell just happened. Fast-forward to the June release of Reatard’s In the Red compilation, a stack of singles that reveal actual restraint amid picture-perfect pop tunes and exhilarating vignettes of ultraviolence. Reatard’s second singles comp in less than a year, Matador Singles ’08, follows suit with more of the same randomness, as if Reatard is meticulously documenting his creative growth one 7-inch at a time. Given the way his “sordid past”—drinking, drugging and no-show gigs—has been played up in the press, we sent our wildest writer, comrade J. Bennett, on a plane to Memphis in hopes of ripping Jay Reatard’s true story straight from the source. What he found out is much more revealing and disturbing than anything involving jilted promoters or fans that decided to play PunchOut!! with a guy who doesn’t have the patience for that kind of shit. As you’ll notice, our lengthy cover story is part of a new section called LP Starting with . this issue, we’re running one standard feature alongside unique experiments such as our bravely stomached Melvins tour-food diary and our Pedal Porn still-life photography—an interactive look at the guitar pedals Kevin Shields used on the My Bloody Valentine reunion tour. Aside from LP and our returning From the Stacks selections, we’ve also added an EP section of quick reads:You’ll learn Spinto Band’s favorite recipes, geek out about sci-fi with Marnie Stern and reminisce about Mogwai’s all-time greatest “fuck yeah” moments. In other news, self-titled’s staff has started working 14-hour days. That way we can crank 8 out more and more innovative issues in the coming year. As much as we love unleashing exclusive studio reports and interviews on our daily site, we’re determined to blow your mind with the potential of this whole digi-mag medium. (Read: The audio embedded in this issue is only the beginning.) Until next issue, stay warm, Andrew Parks, Editor-in-Chief / Publisher
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